Various communication networks communicate over optical links. For example, IEEE 802.3ae-2002™ standard, Aug. 30, 2002, and IEEE Draft P802.3aq™/D4.0, May, 2006, which are incorporated herein by reference, define physical layer specifications for communicating over optical fibers. Section 52-5 of the IEEE 802.3ae-2002 standard specifies both Short Range (SR) and Long Range (LR) fiber links. Section 68.5 of the IEEE P802.3aq™/D4.0 draft defines a Long Range Multimode (LRM) fiber link.
Optical fiber links are typically terminated with optical transceivers, which convert optical signals to electrical signals and vice versa. Optical transceivers may conform to various specifications and form factors, such as, for example, the XENPAK, X2, XFP, Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) and Small Form-factor Pluggable Plus (SFP+) form factors. The SFP+ form factor, for example, is specified in a specification published by the SFP+ committee, entitled “Specifications for Enhanced Small Form Factor Pluggable Module,” (SFF-8431), revision 3.2, Nov. 12, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference. The XFP form factor is specified in “10 Gigabit Small Form Factor Pluggable Module,” (INF-8077i), revision 4.0, the SFP+ committee, Apr. 13, 2004, which is incorporated herein by reference. The Xenpak form factor is specified in “A Cooperation Agreement for 10 Gigabit Ethernet Transceiver Package,” Issue 3.0, Sep. 18, 2002, which is incorporated herein by reference. The X2 form factor is specified in “A Cooperation Agreement for a Small Versatile 10 Gigabit Transceiver Package,” Issue 2.0b, Apr. 7, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of the embodiments thereof, taken together with the drawings in which: